There could be more property buyers in the UK market this year, after a survey from Santander Mortgages revealed that 3.7 million people think they will make a house purchase in 2012. The bank’s figures suggest that 12 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds will be likely to buy a new home this year, and more than half of those planning to make a transaction are more confident about the market than they were a year ago.
The proportion of potential home buyers was highest in London by a long way, followed by the north-east, East Midlands and Scotland. Meanwhile, people in the East of England and Northern Ireland were the least confident about their ability to successfully purchase a home.
“Given the tough economic climate people are becoming more upbeat about their prospects of purchasing a new home this year,” said Phil Cliff, director of Santander Mortgages. “It’s been a tough few years for the property market overall, but prices have made a steady recovery so there’s every reason to feel cautiously optimistic.”
